In Machyn’s quaint Diary, we find the following entries:—
1561. The xxiiij day of Feybruary whent to hang xviij men and ij women, and serten ware browthe[101] to be bered in serten parryches in London; the barbur surgens had on[102] of them to be a notheme[103] at ther halle.
1562. The xx day of June was a gret shutyng[104] of the Compene of the Barbur Surgeantes for a gret soper at ther owne hall for a xxx mess of mett,[105] for they dyd make ij godley[106] stremars agaynst that day of their harmes,[107] the whyche they wher agmented by the most valeant kyng at armes master . . . . . . and they had vj drumes plahyng and a flutt; and ij gret ansutts,[108] and as a shot was wone, downe whent that and up the thodar,[109] and as they whan the shut; and master Gall[110] and ys syd[111] wan the soper—the master of the Compene.
The x day of August was Barbur surgyons fest, and they capt ther communion at Sant Alphes[112] at Crepull-gat, and master Recherdson dyd pryche,[113] the skott; ther was good syngyng; and after to ther halle to dener, and after dener a play.
1567. Elizabeth inaugurated the first State Lottery in England, as a means of providing money, and a very peremptory mandate was directed by the Lord Mayor to the various City Companies, commanding them to adventure therein.
1st February, 1568. The Barber-Surgeons put in 40s. for the “use, profet and benefyt of the hall,” but did not draw a prize, and indeed none of the Companies reaped any advantage by the speculation, the Lottery being simply a trap into which they were ordered to walk.
The proposal for this Lottery was as follows:—
A verie rich Lotterie Generall without any Blancks contayning a great No. of good prices, as well of redy money, as of Plate & certaine sorts of marchaundizes having been valued & prised by the commaundement of the Queenes most excellent Majestie by men expert & skilfull and the same Lotterie is erected by hir majesties order, to the entent that such Commoditie as may chaunce to arise thereof, after the charges borne, may be converted towards the reparation of the Havens and strength of the Realme, & towardes such other publique good workes. The No. of lots shall be foure hundreth thousand, and no more: and every lot shall be the summe of tenne shillings sterling onely, and no more.
Stow says that this Lottery was commenced to be drawn on the 11th January, 1569, at the West Door of St. Paul’s, and continued drawing day and night until the 6th May following.